A SENIOR government minister has branded the way the news of Bolton West MP Ruth Kelly’s resignation from the cabinet was handled a “serious mistake”.
Chief Whip Geoff Hoon told Sky News that he did not believe the leak was deliberate, but that it had damaged the Government.
The announcement, on Wednesday morning, drew attention away from the Prime Minister’s Labour Party Conference speech the previous day.
Mr Hoon said: “I don’t think anyone could have been happy about that situation, least of all Ruth Kelly. I thought she handled it with commendable dignity.
“I thought that whoever was responsible for that particular piece of briefing acted irresponsibly. What I do say is that whoever was responsible did make a serious mistake.”
Ms Kelly said she was leaving the government to spend more time with her family. She has refused to say whether she will stand at the MP for Bolton West in the next election.
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